Gas burner



March 27, 1934. R 1,952,550

GAS BURNER Filed July 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 27, 1934. HIIEI R 1,952,550

354 F I L WW Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS BURNER Harry E. Kerr, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The' Barber GasBui-ner Company, Cleveland, Ohio This invention relates to gas burners and more particularly to jet burners of the type wherein a plurality of commingling tubes or jets are sym-.-

metrically mounted upon a burner body. The general object of the invention, is to provide the burner'body with a pilot light, and a conveniently arranged and eflicient thermostatically operated plunger valve common to all the burner jets for controlling the flow of gas to the burner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety pilot light thermostatic control for causing the valve to shut off the flow of gas to the burner jets when the gas flow to the pilot light is interrupted and for preventing escape of gas, while the main burner is burning.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a unitary burner construction including con-- venient means for supporting .the safety pilot light jet, and the therrno bi-metal valve actuating member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of valve and valve seat mounting and valve actuating means, whereby a quickly responsive operation and efiicient self cleaning and positive seating action of the valve is assured.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of means for preventing the bi-metal .bar from becoming overheated or otherwise damaged by the pilot flame.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a jet burner embodying a thermostatically operated plunger valv common to all burner jets;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the guide unit for'the plunger valve;

Figure 5 is an enlarged side viewof the plunger valve; V Figure 6 is a top view of the guide plate used 0 in connection with the pilot light; and

Figure 7 is ausectional view on line 7- -7 of Figure 6. 5

Referring more particularly to the drawings the hollow cast burner body or manifold A, preferablyof' substantially star shape, and cast construction, comprises top and bottom walls 1 and 2 and side walls 3 respectively. A threaded opening 4 communicatingwith a depending-cham-' bered or conduit portion 5 formed radially of the burner on the bottom thereof and extending from wall 3 to the center of the burner, is adapted to receive the threaded end of a fuel supply pipe, not shown. The top wall 1 of the body A is provided with a series of protuberances or raised portions 6 at uniformly spaced radial" places, in

the present embodiment six in number. These protuberances are formed with threaded openings '7 communicating with gas chamber 8 coextensive with the interior of hollow body A, and

threadedly mounted in these openings are a plurality of commingling tubes or jets 9.

The jets 9 are preferably of brass and surmounted by a separate cap 10. One end is screw threaded for attachment to theprotuberances 6 and has a cupped entrance 11 with a small discharge orifice 12 for gas. Air intake ports 12' extend through the side walls of the jet and open into a central main passage 50. The top of cap 10 is rounded or ball-shaped, and relatively narrow intersecting slots 13 are sawed at right angles across the top and downwardly into the side walls of the cap. A round relatively short headed deflector pin 14 is forced into the opening at the intersection, the segmental portions between the slots 13 being sufficiently resilient to expand during this operation, and also to spring back with their extremities engaged behind-theshoulder or flange 15 formed on the pin for this purpose, after the pin has been forced home, thus e'fiectually locking the pin in position.

The top wall of burner body a centrally disposed threaded opening 16 in which a threaded apertured guide nut or cap 1'7 preferably'of Monel metal is screwed. An elongated cylindrical valve plunger 18, preferably of Tobin bronze extends freely through the valveguide opening 19 in guide nut or cap 17 in axial alinement with a small gas passage'20 formed in bottoni wall 2 of body A. The lower end of the plunger valve 18 has an enlarged rounded head 21 which seats against the recessed wall of gas passage 20 and effectually closes the same when the plunger valve is in lowered position, and when the valve is in raised position the slightly beveled shoulder 22 of head 21 forms a tight seal with the lower end of the wall of 'valve guide opening 19. As gas passage 20 communicates with the gas supply conduit 5, the supply of gasto'the burneri seating actionof the valve when the latter is in 110 A is formed with 85 correspondingly beveled seat 23 formed in the.

will be shut 01f when the valve is moved to seat- .105

its upper or raised position, and while the main burner is burning.

It is preferable that the sliding flt between the valve 18 and its guide 17 be sufliciently loose to insure free, positive and quick action. Heretofore in the use of valves of this general type it has been deemed necessary to have a very tight fit between these parts, or that a stufiing box be employed to prevent escape of gas. Considerable trouble has been experienced in the use of such valves due to corrosion from condensation orthe deposit of gummy residue and other foreign matter thereon, which may be present in the gas, or

from dust and dirt which caused the valve to stick tight in open position. However, by virtue of the use of the metals previously mentioned, which have different coefficients of expansion and the double seating action of the present valve, a comparatively loose fit may be safely used. A free reciprocatory action of the valve is thus had, which eliminates all danger of foreign matter accumulating on the valve and also insures a much more delicate and responsive valve action.

In practice it has been found that the expansion of the Monel metal cap is sufliciently greater than that of the bronze valve plunger to eliminate all danger of jambing, in fact the tendency under operating conditions is for the guide opening 19 to slightly increase in size relatively to the diameter of the valve.

Movement of valve 18 is thermostatically controlled through the medium of a horizontally disposed compensating spring extension 24, preferably of nickel steel, secured at its outer end to a bi-metal bar or member 25, and engaging an annular groove 26 in the upper end of the valve with its bifurcated inner end. The bar 25 is connected to the vertical arm 27 of a bracket 28, which bracket is preferably an integral part of the main burner body A, any suitable fastener such as screw 29 being employed-to secure bar 25 in placeon the bracket arm. The supporting bracket 28 has a horizontally disposed arm 30 which is formed with a round enlargement 31, centrally apertured as at 32 to snugly receive a pilot jet 32', a set screw 33 being employed to prevent accidental dislodgment of the jet and also to permit of vertical adjustment of the latter. The lower end of the pilotjet is connected by any suitable valved piping, not shown, with the main gas supply, and the upper end of the jet is positioned directly beneath and in line with the bi-metal bar 25.

During normal operations of the burner, the burner jets 9 and pilot jet 32' will burn simultaneously and continuously, and of course the valve 18 will be normally held in raised or Figure 1 position by the upwardly bending expansive action of bar 25, thus permitting free flow of gas to the main burner jets. However should the flow of gas to the pilot jet be interrupted due to accident or other cause, the pilot light will become extinguished, and the bi-metal bar 25 will cool off and contract, thus forcing the valve 18 downwardly to its lower seated position, this movement of the valve being facilitated by its vertical arrangement and its loose guiding fit in cap 17. The, flow of gas from the main supply will then be almost instantaneously shut off and the main burner jets extinguished. Assuming the bi-metal bar becomes cold and it is desired to relight the main burner jets, but a few seconds are required after the pilot jet has been relighted to heat the bar 25, sufficiently to cause the latter to expand and raise the valve to its upper or elevated position, thus permitting free flow of gas through the main burner, the jets of which instantaneously thereafter become lighted by the flame from the pilot jet.

As previously stated, when the valve is in its uppermost position the shoulder 22 of the latter cooperates with seat 23 to effect a seal against the escape of gas from the burner, and as the intermediate position is but momentary little or no gas can escape through the opening 19 of cap 1'7. The tense positive action of-bar 25 holds the valve tightly" to its seats.

Experience has proven that where the pilot flame comes in direct contact with the thermostatic or bi-metal bar 25, the latter is subject to the deteriorating effect of impurities in the gas, and that the thermostatic action of the bar is also adversely effected by the intense heat to which it is thus subjected. In order to transmit the heat from the pilot flame uniformly to the bimetal bar, and also to protect the latter from the direct effect of the flame, I provide a metallic deflector or shield 34, which deflects the flame laterally and thence upwardly and around but out of contact with the bar. This deflector has a flat outer end portion 36, which is secured to the arm 27 of the bracket 28 directly beneath the bar 25 by means of the screw 29 which screw also serves to attach the bar 25 in place.

The body of deflector 34 is substantially V shaped in cross section and is provided with a pair of side flanges 35 snugly receiving therebetween and engaging the side edges of the bar 25 and also extending slightly above the upper face of the bar, thus protecting the bar from direct flame contact. Due to the V or trough shape of the deflector guard the bi-metal bar contacts therewith only at its side edges,'except at its outer end which is superimposed upon the flat outer end portion 26 of the deflector; at the point of attachment of these parts to the bracket. However it will be noted that this area is remote from the pilot flame. The deflector also serves the important function of keeping the bar 25 free from carbon deposit which deposit interferes with the proper thermostatic action of the bar.

It will also be noted that in addition to the protective action of the walls of the shield or deflector, an air pocket 3'7 is formed between the inner or upper face of the guard and the lower face of the bar 25 which effectually insulates and protects the latter from the intense direct heating effect of the flame. As a result of the line contact between the bar and its protector as distinguished from a face contact between the parts, the transmission of heat to the bar is much more uniform and in consequence the thermostatic action of the bar is greatly enhanced.

In order to more effectually direct the flame from pilot jet 32' upwardly toward the tips of burner jets or tubes 9, and also to protect the body of the burner from heat radiating from the pilot, I provide a guide plate 38 of suitable material such as sheet metal. This plate comprises an apertured ear portion 39 which sleeves over the jet 32' and seats upon the bracket 28, and an ing from the jet will be thrown back or away from the body of the burner.

Having thus described my invention, claim is:

1. A gas burner including a hollow gas distributing body, a series of gas and air commingling tubes on said body having air intake openings at what I the lower portions thereof, a valve controlled main the radiating heat toward said thermostatic means.

2. A gas burner including a hollow gas distributing body having an extension, a series of gas and air commingling tubes on said body having air intake openings at their lower portions, a valve controlled main gas passage arranged in said body, thermostatic means arranged below the tops of said commingling tubes operatively connected to said valve, individual heating means positioned to heat said thermostatic means seated upon the extension of said body, and means to direct the flame or said heating means toward the tops of said gas and air commingling tubes, said directing means being seated upon said extension of said body and provided with an inclined lateral portion resting against one of said tubes above the air intake openings thereof.

HARRY E. KERR. 

